Hello, Reader!

Church was fun today. The message was much the same as one given at Sierra Vista the other week... about miracles, expecting miracles and being prepared for miracles and being ready to be a miracle to someone else. Although I'm not a fan of the "this is the season of miracles" phrase because I believe that miracles are happening around us all the time and most of the time we're just blind to them until hind sight shows us God's hand in our life.

Here's just one miracle I saw today. New faces! Faces I had never seen before in our youth group, new faces in the church! New faces in the social hall and in the pew beside me... It was so very exciting! I heard one of the longer-termed youth complain about there being too many people in Fort Knox (the youth house) and I quickly turned to them and told them I thought it was wonderful so full of young people! I pray that the youth group soon becomes too large for the building and session is forced to give the youth a bigger area!!

After church, I headed home, ate a little lunch with my parenst and took a nap. Then my family opened the "santa presents" as my Dad leaves for work tomorrow and won't be back until we have to leave for Califorina in a few days... don't worry, friends! I will still be opening more Christmas presents along with the rest of the world on Christmas day.

Then my Mom and I went back to church to see the UNLV Children's Choral preform. They were good, considering they were between 3rd and 10th grade and we're doing pieces that many Highschool choirs can not do. It makes me wish I would have joined last year when offered a position, though I did not have the time then. I do miss singing in choirs. Throughout highschool, I was never in less than 3 choirs and sometimes even exceeding up to 6 choirs total. I do miss singing... that is one thing I look forward to going back to college, a choir.

After the concert I went to Tammi's house and we hung out until about 11:15... I like Tammi. I have missed her very much! We have such stories to share and questions to ask each other. I love her continuous support and love. We're meeting tomorrow for brunch as we still have a ton more to talk about!

I realize that I am not quite as distraught as I was the last time I was home. I have not cried myself to sleep and I have, thus far -- and hopefully will continue with Christ's strength -- to be the new person God has made me while being on Common Fire. I pray for peace and happiness to all my dear friends. I love you and miss you very much.